Upside Down Tendrils

Chapter Seven

     I slowly pedaled down the streets, heading towards my house, but taking the long route so I could think and cool my blazing nerves. What had just happened?
     When I rounded the corner that crossed past Twin Lake Academy, I was stopped by the feeling that I was being followed. I kept going a little, but swerved when an SUV came up behind me, blocking my path. I crashed to the ground, scraping my knee. Red blood bubbled out and I bit my lip to stop from crying out in pain.
     "Hey, kid," a burly man greeted after exiting his SUV. "What are you doing out so late?"
      "It's only six," my bottom lip quivered. Curfew was seven thirty because you were supposed to spend the rest of the night with your family.
      He grunted. "Well," he reached for me, but I quickly jumped to my feet and scrambled backwards, tripping over my fallen bike and landing on my butt again.
     "Get away from me!" I growled at him.
     "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you." He came a little closer and I got to my feet again. I was trapped. My back was to the sign of Twin Lake Academy behind me.
     "Yeah, right," I muttered, as he continued to walk closer.
     "I just want to warn you not to mess around with the Scoffenstein boy. He is spinning lies in your face." He grabbed for me again, but this time I was caught off guard and he was able to pick me up. I thrashed in is arm, landing a successful kick to his cheek. His grip on me tightened and I wiggled out of his arms, running towards my bike.
     I hopped on and pedaled as fast as I could towards home. Throwing my bike down in the lawn, I ran up the front steps and inside at 6:03 precisely.
     My mom stood in the kitchen, her lips pulled into a startled 'o' at the sight of me. "Are you okay?" She asked, rushing toward me and examining my dirtied cheek and my bleeding knee. "What happened to you?"
     I opted for a little white lie, explaining, "I hit a curb wrong and fell off my bike. But, I am fine." If only she knew how far I was from being fine.
     The man's words echoed in my brain. Could I trust Jordan Scoffenstein? He hadn't done anything to me yet. But would he? And yet, I was intrigued by his theory. Superhuman abilities! Pretty cool, but why me? Why would he have chosen me unless he wanted to use me? Unless it was a trap. Anger flared inside me. How dare he! And yet, I wanted to trust him. Most of me, already did. If it was a trap, he had me caught.